Now moving to discussion on use of impact fees. City currently has transportation & school impact fees, but not one for parks. Eastside cities widely do residential development impact fees, and Issaquah & Redmond also do commercial development, since workers also impact parks.
Conversation
If Council support staff moving forward to study impact fees, staff would have to do financial analyses and would only be able to return either during budget discussions this year or at the mid-bi next year. Not tied to the larger parks levy discussion.
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CM Barksdale supports impact fees. Asks how impact fees compare to development fees. Staff note that developer fees provide them w/ a certain benefit, such as more development, if they pay a fee for affordable housing. CM Robertson supports moving forward w/ studying impact fees.
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Wants growth to help fund new growth. Notes that it wouldn't affect people remodeling their SF home, but would impact people tearing down SF home to build a sixplex. Also supports investigating commercial impact fee and wants to make sure city does outreach.
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CM Zahn supports impact fee study & notes growth is exceeding revenues. Supports looking at exemption for affordable housing. Wants staff to holistically look at the revenue/expense gap, b/c this is only one piece of larger mismatch between revenues & expenditures.
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"I want to understand how other revenue discussions fit in with this, because this isn't happening in a vacuum." Mayor Robinson is interested in studying this but is not interested in putting more fees on residential development. Would want to broaden study to also include...
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Bellevue Transportation Director Singelakis "Safety is the top priority for the transportation department." Notes how the City's Vision Zero program has received national attention and "advances city goals of equity, sustainability, and technology."
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Beginning w/ an overview of the Safe Systems approach, noting how it requires an acknowledgement that people are fallible and make mistakes. Staff form an annual action plan for Vision Zero, which is part of what's being presented this evening.
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Staff noting that the program is a cross-departmental partnership. City's vision zero is an eight-pronged approach, so staff are highlighting some of the actions that were taken in 2021 in each of those areas.
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Staff sharing their 20 intersection pilot for Leading Pedestrian Intervals. The city saw a 42% reduction in conflicts between people driving and walking.
The city's work has been noticed at the federal level.
A line graph including 2021 figures. As common in cities nationwide, serious injuries and deaths increased significantly on Bellevue streets.
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This year, staff will be working w/ stakeholders in urban core to get feedback on what bike infrastructure can be brought on quickly. That work will begin in September. City also got Federal Highway funding to study a speed management program.
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Expanded LPI rollout began last week w/ Phase 1 of 3, and intersections have included QR codes for people walking to find out more. Also touting a LIDAR & camera analytics program w/ AWS to generate more safety metrics for particular intersections.
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Ending the presentation w/ an anecdote from a 13 year old who rides his bike to school everyday. The pictured intersection is NE 8th St & 148th Ave NE.
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CM Robertson is on the PSRC transportation policy board. Says she's been focusing on centering safety in that work & notes a VZ provision got through. An amendment from Bellevue was to develop a safety workplan. has some analysis here.
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CM Zahn notes the city is well-known not just at the local level but also the national level. She was in a Vision Zero workshop that the city hosted in DC a little while ago, so she would know. Emphasizes the importance of culture.
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Believes the City is in a good position to receive federal grant money for projects, like LPI or video analytic pilots. Notes that city's being consulted in K4C partnership, says safety is also a climate issue. Wonders what the "budget ask" is for further program implementation.
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"I want to make sure we're making the commitment with our pocketbook...How can we be sure we're committing with the types of funds needed to implement the program faster." Staff say they'll have to look further at budgeting.
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CM Barksdale likes focus on advanced technology. Asks about the jagged nature of the rises & falls in injuries & fatalities. Staff note that it takes a while "to move the needle, but [Vision Zero] is achievable... You have to start w/ leadership & vision and have follow-through."
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Responding to Barksdale, staff agree that just noting the data doesn't touch on the personal angle that this work has. CM Barksdale suggests adding human angles & stories to the data dashboard.
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CM Zahn wants to make sure that City is connecting w/ youth. She notes that having 20 mph speed limits just in the one area might be confusing. She likes to think that city can get to the place where the community "embraces" the lower speed limits across more neighborhoods.
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Speed management plan, which will look at wider speed limit adjustments citywide, will begin work on May 2nd, as they have a meeting w/ the federal agency.
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W/ that, meeting is adjourned! Thanks for following along on this interesting evening.
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